1
a(1)
: nationality sense 5a
three Slav peoples … forged into a Yugoslavia without really fusing into a Yugoslav nation—
Hans Kohn
Hans Kohn
(2)
: a politically organized nationality
(3)
in the Bible
: a non-Jewish nationality
why do the nations conspire—Psalms 2:1 (Revised Standard Version)
Psalms 2:1 (Revised Standard Version)
b
: a community of people composed of one or more nationalities and possessing a more or less defined territory and government
Canada is a nation with a written constitution—B. K. Sandwell
B. K. Sandwell
c
: a territorial division containing a body of people of one or more nationalities and usually characterized by relatively large size and independent status
a nation of vast size with a small population—Mary K. Hammond
Mary K. Hammond2
archaic
: group, aggregation
3
: a tribe or federation of tribes (as of American Indians)
the Seminole Nation in Oklahoma
Synonyms
Examples of nation in a Sentence
It's one of the richest nations in the world.
the largest state in the nation
The President will speak to the nation tonight.
The entire nation is celebrating the victory.
Recent Examples on the Web
The tournament will be hosted across three countries — the United States, Canada and Mexico — and will feature 48 nations for the first time.
—Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Vanuatu, a tiny South Pacific Ocean nation made up of roughly 80 islands made the third-biggest drop, losing six places from 48th to 54th position in 10 years.
—Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Why Donald Trump Wants to Buy Greenland Donald Trump Ally Discusses Taking Greenland by Force
That said, Greenland is a nation rooted in its Inuit heritage, with a peaceful tradition of never having gone to war with other nations.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
The numbers indicate the national crime rate has plunged from its pandemic peak in 2020-21, especially in our nation’s big cities, but most Americans either haven’t even seen the statistics or don’t believe them.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for nation 
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Charlotte Harpur, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Vanuatu, a tiny South Pacific Ocean nation made up of roughly 80 islands made the third-biggest drop, losing six places from 48th to 54th position in 10 years.
—Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
Why Donald Trump Wants to Buy Greenland Donald Trump Ally Discusses Taking Greenland by Force
That said, Greenland is a nation rooted in its Inuit heritage, with a peaceful tradition of never having gone to war with other nations.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
The numbers indicate the national crime rate has plunged from its pandemic peak in 2020-21, especially in our nation’s big cities, but most Americans either haven’t even seen the statistics or don’t believe them.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 8 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for nation
Articles Related to nation
Dictionary Entries Near nation
Cite this Entry
“Nation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nation. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nation
noun
na·tion
ˈnā-shən 
2
: a community of people composed of one or more nationalities usually with its own territory and government
3
: the territory of a nation
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